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The one thing everyone did _ love him or hate him _ was watch him work. He was the best.
Cosell was an attorney turned sportscastor in the ’50s, whose creative use of the English language, (he was an English major in college) left listeners sometimes bewildered, and searching for the dictionary. It was his coverage of Muhammad Ali that made him a star. The two men built a friendship that lasted until Cosell’s death April 23, 1995.
Their interviews between Ali and Cosell were simply magic. They argued, bickered and clowned around. Ali threatened to punch him out, and pull his toupee off more than once. But they had their serious moments, too.
When Ali changed his name from Cassius Clay to Muhammad Ali after joining the Nation of Islam, he was highly criticized. Cosell was one of the first to stand behind him, and call him by his new name, Muhammad Ali. Cosell was extremely bright, insightful and outspoken. In 1970, he did the play-by-play for ABC’s Monday Night Football, and helped to build the NFL brand on Monday Night. In his exuberance, he said a few things they weren’t politically correct, like calling an African-American wide receiver a ‘little monkey’, and calling George Foreman a ‘boy’ during his broadcast of the Foreman-Joe Frazier fight. But very few thought there was any malice behind his mistakes.
As good as Cosell was calling football, or baseball, or damn near anything, it was boxing where he was at the best. One of his greatest calls is the night Frazier entered the ring against Foreman. Frazier had beaten Ali in 1971 to win the title. He was putting in on the line against Foreman, a formidable puncher. Foreman knocked Frazier down six times. The first knockdown came midway through the first round, and Cosell’s called it brilliantly.
If you say “down goes Frazier” to any old head sports fan, he/she will know exactly what you mean. Posted is video of the Frazier-Foreman fight. Also are a few highlights of Cosell’s work. Turn up the volume, and enjoy.
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